San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-10-24
A NEGRO OF GREAT AGE.

James James, United States Citizen,
Living at Santa Rosa, Mexico.
James James, a negro and citizen of the
United States, who resides at Santa Rosa,
Mexico, is probably the oldest man on earth
He was born near Dorchester S. C., in 1852,
and while an infant was removed to Midway
River, Ga, in the same year that Franklin
brought down electricity from the thunder
clouds. In 1112 there was quite an immgra-
ton into South Carolina, and his master,
James James from whom he takes his name),
moved near Charleston, S. c., in company
with a number of his neighbors On June 4,
l716, when "a years of age, large British
fleet, under Sir Peter Parker, arrived off
Charleston. The citizens had erected a pal
metto wood fort on Sullivan's Island, with
twenty -Six guns manned by 800 troops under
Col Moultrie, and on June % the British
made an attack by land and water, and were
compelled to withdraw after ten hours con-
fict 1t was during this fight that Sergt
Jasper distinguished himself by replacing the
flag, which had been shot away upon the
bastion, ON new staff His master, James
James, manned one of the guns in this fight,
and Jim, the subject of this sketch, and four
other slaves were employed around the fort
ter throughout the war; and was with Gen
Moultrie at Port Royal, S. c., Feb. 8, 1779,
when Moultrie defeated the combined British
forces Of Provost and Campbell His master
was surrendered by Gen. Lincoln at Charles
ton, s. c., ON Feb. IL, 1850, to the British
forces, and this ends Jim's military career.
He remembers of the rejoicing in 1872
throughout the country in consequence of
Washington's election to the presidency, he
then being 40 years of age. In this year his
first master died, aged about 60 years Jim
then became the property of "Marse Henry
Henry James, owning large estates and
about thirty slaves near Charleston. On ac-
count of having raised "Marse Henry Jim
was a special favorite with his master and
was allowed to do as he chose. His second
master, Henry, died in 1915, about S. years of
age, and jim, now 60 years of age, became
the property of James James, Henry's second
son. In 1888 the railroad from Charleston to
Savannah was completed, then the longest
railroad in the world, and Jim, with his mas
ter, took trip over the road, and was shown
special favors on account of his age, now 81.
James James was 10 years Of age at his faith
er's death, and when he became of age in
herited large estates, slaves, etc., among
whom were "old Uncle Jim" aud his family.
James James lived in South Carolina until
1855, when he novel to Texas with all his
slaves James desired that his slaves should
be free at his DEATH and I'm 1858 moved into
Mexico, so that they could be free before his
death. James returned to the United States
and died in Texas, and in 1865, after there
were no longer slaves in the United States,
Uncle Jim's children and grandchildren re-
turned to the United States Five years ago,
at the age of $780, Jim could do light chores,
but subsisted mostly by contributions from
the citizens; but for the past two years, not
being able to walk, he remains for the most
part in his little jacal, his wants being sup
piled by generous neighbors The rheumatism
in his legs prevents him from walking, but
yet he has sufficient strength in his arms to
drag himself a short distance-flfty yards or
more-and readily took position on the out
side of his cabin to enable The Globe Demo
crat correspondent to make his Photograph
Laredo CTex.) Letter to The st. Louis Globe
Democrat.